Truss construction



May 26, 19142.

J. HANSEN 2,284,205

TRUSS CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 1a, 1940 -2" Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN T OR .1}; us E 641M351! y 26, 1942- 2 J. E. HANSEN 2,284,205

THUS S CpNS TRUCT ION Filed Oct. 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 8 11v VENTOR JZ/L lus E. H4 MsE/v BY 1 ATT N125 Patented May 26, 1942 l UNlTE STTES i i r 2,284,205

ICE

craoss CONSTRUCTION Julius E. Hansen, Rochester, N. Y. j ApplicationOctobcr 18, 1940, serial No. 361,768

(or. 12s 9s) Claims.

This invention relates to trusses and more especially to semi rigid trusses in which the truss pads are partially or entirely held in place by means of one or more metallic straps and the principal object of this invention is to provide a truss of this kind with a flexible and partially yielding, novel connection between the strap ends which carry the truss pads whereby this connection cannot interfere with the movement of the truss pads in adapting themselves to the movement of the body, in fact will adjust itself automatically in such a manner that its tension will supplement the hold-back action of the pads.

This and other objects of this invention will become more readily apparent from the detailed description thereof which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a plane view of my improved truss with a portion of it shown in section.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the truss illustrating the action of the connection between the metal straps of the truss relative to the adjusting movement of the truss pads in a substantially vertical plane.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the truss taken on the line 4, 4 in Figure 2 with the truss positioned and held against the hernia by the combined action of the metallic supporting strap and the flexible and partially yielding connection between the pad carrying ends of the strap or straps.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the flexible and partially yielding connecting member as it appears in its adjustment to the body of the wearer of the truss, the section being taken substantially intermediate the truss pads as indicated by section line 5, 5 in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail front elevation of the truss in the form in which it is used for simultaneous adjustment of the truss pads in the same direction.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a single pad truss embodying my invention.

Figure 8 is a partial front elevation and section of the single pad truss illustrated in Figure 7.

The truss, forming the subject matter of my present invention, combines the features of a rigid or semi-rigid truss with that of an elastic truss to provide for a firm and accurate positioning of the truss pads over the hernia and their constant automatic adjustment with compensating pressure on the movement of the body. In this way displacement of the pads due to the movement of the body is entirely eliminated and the hernia properly supported at all times according to the position of the body by the automatic adjustment of the position of the pads and the pressure exerted thereby.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the truss is made up of a pair of metal straps 2, 2 which are embedded between the elastic waist band sections 3, 3 and the elastic cover and connecting strap 4. The latter is located on the outside of the truss and extends from the rear end of one of the metal straps to the rear end of the other metal strap and its ends are attached to the waist band sections by suitable anchoring straps 5, 5 which are sewed over the ends of the elastic cover and connecting strap onto the waistband sections. In addition the cover and connecting strap are longitudinally sewed along the top and bottom to the waist band sections 3, 3 to within a predetermined distance of the front end of these sections and the metal strap' 2 indicated by reference numerals B, 6. At this point the combined cover and connecting strap 4 is additionally held to the waist band sections by the anchoring straps 1, 1 which are sewed transversely over the strap and to the waist band sections. In this way the ends of the waistband sections 3, 3 at the rear of the truss and the portion of the strap 4 connecting the waist band sections at the front of the truss remain elastic and pliable.

Suitable buckle members 9 and H! are carried by the elastic rear ends of the waistband for their connection in the attachment of the truss to the body of the wearer.

The elastic connection by the strap 4 at the front of the truss is made partially inelastic by a nonelastic'covering 8 which is sewed thereover to cover half of the elastic connection between the anchoring straps 1, l. the upper or lower portion of this connecting section may be left elastic for a purpose that will presently appear.

The hernia pads H, end of the metal straps Z, 2 by means of an anchoring bolt H. The anchorage of these pads is spaced from the attachment of the connecting strap 4 to the waist band sections so that the strap'provides only an indirect connection between the pads. This permits one pad to move within a limited range with the end of the waistband section and metal strap to which it is anchored independently of the other so that each pad may adjust itself to the position of the hernia in the movement of the body with a flexible but firm connection between the pads provided by the nonyielding portion of the connecting section of the strap 4 and a flexible and yielding connection provided by the remaining portion of the connecting section of this strap.

The pressure of the metal straps exerted on the pads is thus supplemented by the tension provided by the connecting strap between the waist band sections. In the adjustment of the truss the metal straps may-thus be sprung or In this way either H are anchored to the bent to hold the pads with a predetermined preliminary pressure in the proper position relative to the hernia, while the waistband sections, connected at the rear with their buckle members, I

tension the connecting strap between the waistband sections so that the combined pressure of the metallic strap and the tension of the connecting strap produce the proper pressure for the support of the hernia at all times in any position of the body.

As will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 4, the non-yielding portion of the connecting strap 4 when located at the bottom of the strap exerts its tension inwardly and upwardly below the center of the pad, while the upper yielding portion of the connecting strap may give to the pressure exerted by the body against the pad. In this way the connection strap operates to draw the pad inwardly and upwardly in its tension to thus support the hernia with an inward and upward pressure.

In the section of the connecting strap illustrated in Figure the upper yielding section is shown to conform to the surface of the body to yieldingly exert its tensionthereagainst in order that the lower non-yielding portion of the connecting strap produces its inwardly and upwardly non-yielding tension pressure against the body and the truss pads.

The edges of the part of the waist sections 3, 3 are covered at the top and bottom with a substantially non-yielding binding I3. These bindings extend from the transverse anchoring strap I4 to the outer ends of the waist band sections at the front of the truss and thus make the forward portions of the otherwise elastic waist band sections non-elastic. In this way the front portion of the truss, except for the upper portion of the connecting strap 4, is nonelastic for firm support of the truss pads.

Where both pads are simultaneously lowered in their adjustment to the movement of the body of the wearer of the truss as illustrated in Figure 6, it is desirable to have the upper portion of the connecting strap made non-elastic by the covering 8 between the anchoring straps l, I. In this way the ends of the upper non-elastic portion of the connecting strap serve as pivot points for the swinging movement of the ends of the metal straps which carry the pads while the lower elastic portion of the connecting strap stretches to accommodate itself to its increased length in the lower portion thereof.

7 In the single pad truss illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 a single metal strap l5 extends from a point in the rear of the truss to the front thereof where it is slotted at I6 to have the anchoring bolt ll extend therethru for the attachment of the pad I3 to one end of the truss. An elastic waist band I?) forms. a complete loop for the support of the truss on the body and the free elastic end carries the buckle member 2| for connection with the buckle member 2| carried by the cover strap 22. The latter is sewed over the metal strap l5 and to the waist band IE! to completely encase themetal strap except at the front end where the metal strap is exposed for the attachment of the truss pad and the adjustment thereof on the metal strap. As will be seen from an inspection of Figures 7 and 8, the buckle member 2| is located to one side of the point of attachment of the truss pad to pro- .vide for its automatic adjustment in the manner pointed out in connection with the double pad truss as illustrated in Figures 3 and 6.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised a new truss construction which embodies the features and advantages above enumerated, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is susceptible of modifications in various particulars without departing from the spirit of, the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim:

1. In a truss construction the combination of a pair of metal straps, a pair of flexible and yieldable waist bands on the inside of said metal straps for adjustable and yieldable connection of the ends of the straps atthe rear of the truss, a truss pad carried by the end of each of said straps at the front of the truss, a flexible and yieldable connecting member extending over said metal straps from the end of one of said straps to the end of the other of said straps at the rear of the truss and fixedly sewed to each of said waist band sections to a point spaced from the point of attachment of said pads rearwardly of the truss to provide a flexible and yieldable connection between said straps at the front of the truss from the far sides of said pads.

2. In a truss construction as set forth in claim 1 in which said connecting member is provided with a substantially non-yielding binding covering a bottom portion longitudinally thereof between its connection with the'waist band sections at the front of the truss.

3. In a truss construction, the combination of a pair of metal straps, a pair of flexible waist band sections on the inside of each of said metal straps for adjustable connection of said metal straps at the rear of the truss, truss pads carried by the ends of said metal straps at the front of the truss, a flexible connecting member connecting the outside of said waist band sections at the front of the truss from points spaced from the point of attachment of said pads rearwardly V of the truss, said flexible connecting member extending over said metal straps and being fixedly sewed to said waist band sections from the ends of said metal straps at the rear of the truss to the point from which said connecting member connects said waist band sections at the front of the truss.

4. In a truss'construction the combination of a strap member with its ends spaced at the front of the truss, a truss pad carried by one end of said strap, and a flexible connection comprising a member having yielding and non-yielding portion extending longitudinally and bridging the spaced ends of said strap and connecting the sides of said strap from a point spaced from the point of attachment of said pad rearwardly of the truss.

5. In a truss construction the combination of a pair of metal straps, a flexible connection between the ends of said straps at the rear of the truss, a truss pad carried by the end of said straps at the front of the truss, and a flexible connection comprising a member having yielding and non-yielding portions extending longitudinally and bridging the spaced ends of said straps and freely extendingover said truss pads at the front of said truss and connecting the sides of said straps from points horizontally spaced from the point of attachment of the pad.

JULIUS E. HANSEN. 

